Stars strip jewels, flaunt peace on red carpet

LOS ANGELES - Diamonds gave way to glittery peace signs as the stars dressed down on Oscar's big night - in a way of showing respect for the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

The award show's producers shortened celebrities' red carpet walk to the Kodak Theater, allowing only a handful of photographers and reporters to observe the entrances but forbidding them from asking questions.

Many celebrities wordlessly made reference to the less-than-a-week-old war through their jewelry - or lack of it, and by dressing down for Hollywood's most glamorous night with less color than is normally seen at the Oscars and with simpler gowns.

While many actresses last year opted to wear black in the post-Sept. 11 awards season, several this year toned themselves down in midnight blue or beige.

Early arrivals Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins swept down the carpet without stopping for photographs, their faces grim and their hands held hands high above their heads flashing peace signs.

Likewise, best actress nominee Nicole Kidman, dressed in a black gown with her hair pulled back severely, walked nervously past the cameras without stopping.

One man opened his jacket to reveal an American flag sewn into the lining of his tuxedo, and "Lord of the Rings" actor Sean Astin wore a small American flag pin in his lapel.

Actor Matthew McConnaughey made a floral tribute to US troops by pinning red, white, and blue flowers to his lapel.

"Far From Heaven" director Todd Haynes and "Chicago" director Rob Marshall declined talk about the war, but wore a small blue peace pins on the lapels of their tuxedo jackets.

Contrarian documentarian Michael Moore, who showed up with wife, Kathleen Lynn, expressed surprise at the silence from the media. "Come on! This is America, you're always allowed to speak," he said when told about the prohibition on questions. Later when he won an Oscar for best documentary, he made an impassioned speech against the war.

Actor Andy Circus who provided the voice for the monster "Gollum" in "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," held up a large sign reading "No War for Oil" as he walked down the carpet.

Less conspicuous were the gold and silver dove pins sported by "Talk to Her" director Pedro Almodovar, actor Brendan Fraser, one of the evening's presenters, and best supporting actress nominee Kathy Bates.

Actress Cameron Diaz made a plug for energy efficiency by arriving among scores of stretch limousines in her hybrid Toyota Prius, a brand she had supported in TV commercials. "I drive it every day," she told reporters.

Other attendees sobered up their attire to stay in keeping with the nation's anxious mood.

Best actress nominee Rene Zellweger arrived alone wearing a red spangled dress, but wore a ruby ring. Likewise, last year's best actress winner Halle Berry wore her own jewels - a pair of chocolate diamond stud earrings - to accompany a simple, off-the-shoulder golden beige Elie Saab gown.

In fact there seemed to be more silvery, glittery "diamonds" decorating the set and podium of the 75th annual Academy Awards than on the stars - this in a year that prior to the war with Iraq was expected to be a virtual diamond orgy in honor of the show's "diamond jubilee."

The world's top jewelers had been expected to lend the stars the largest rocks in Oscars history - millions of dollars worth of pendant stones including several surpassing the nearly seven-carat diamond made famous by Elizabeth Taylor.

Instead, stars opted for subtle dangly diamond earrings or casual diamond cuff bracelets and all but a few avoided the large pendant necklaces that promoters had touted prior to the start of the war with Iraq.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, who appeared, nine months pregnant in a simple black sheath, avoided diamonds altogether, opting instead for teardrop earrings of pink and jet stones. Similarly Julianne Moore wore a strapless green gown without a necklace but with dangly emerald earrings, and Julia Roberts wore a black halter style gown with a delicate gold necklace.

Although several stars dressed in Georgio Armani outfits this year the designer himself, who is normally a strong Red Carpet presence, opted not to make the trip to Hollywood. A ceremony dedicating a star on the Rodeo Drive, the area's "fashion walk of fame," was postponed.

Several male attendees - including best actor winners Denzel Washington and Robert Duvall - dressed down their tuxedos by foregoing the traditional bow tie and wing-collared shirt for buttoned-down shirts with silk ties.

- REUTERS